The Age of Innocence

Countess Olenska, separated from her European husband, returns to old New York society. She bears with her an independence and anawareness of life which stirs the educated sensitivity of Newland Archer, engaged to be married to May Welland.

The Custom of the Country

Edith Wharton stands among the finest writers of early 20th-century America. In The Custom of the Country, Wharton’s scathing social commentary is on full display through the beautiful and manipulative Undine Spragg. When Undine convinces her nouveau riche parents to move to New York, she quickly injects herself into high society. But even a well-to-do husband isn’t enough for Undine, whose overwhelming lust for wealth proves to be her undoing.

Summer

Summer, set in New England, is a novel by Edith Wharton, published in 1917. The novel details the sexual awakening of its protagonist, 18-year-old, Charity Royall, and her cruel treatment by the father of her child. Only moderately well-received when originally published, Summer, has had a resurgence in critical popularity since the 1960s.

Sons and Lovers

Sons and Lovers, D. H. Lawrence's first major novel, was also the first in the English language to explore ordinary working-class life from the inside. No writer before or since has written so well about the intimacies enforced by a tightly knit mining community and by a family where feelings are never hidden for long. When the marriage between Walter Morel and his sensitive, high-minded wife begins to break down, the bitterness of their frustration seeps into their children's lives.

Persuasion

Anne Elliot has grieved for seven years over the loss of her first love, Captain Frederick Wentworth. But events conspire to unravel the knots of deceit and misunderstanding in this beguiling and gently comic story of love and fidelity.

Wuthering Heights [Recorded Books Edition]

Catherine Earnshaw's passionate statement reveals the core of Emily Bronte's tempestuous literary masterpiece. Meeting as children, Catherine and Heathcliff begin a relationship that grows into obsession as family, class, and fate work against them as much as their own jealous natures.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray, a handsome and narcissistic young man, lives thoughtlessly for his own pleasure. One day, after having his portrait painted, Dorian makes a frivolous Faustian wish: that he should always remain as young and beautiful as he is in that painting, while the portrait grows old in his stead.

The wish comes true, and Dorian soon finds that none of his wicked actions have visible consequences. Realizing that he will appear fresh and unspoiled no matter what kind of life he lives, Dorian becomes increasingly corrupt. Only the portrait grows degenerate and ugly, a powerful symbol of Dorian's internal ruin.

Bleak House

A complex plot of love and inheritance is set against the English legal system of the mid-19th century. As the case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce drags on, it becomes an obsession to everyone involved. And the issue on an inheritance ultimately becomes a question of murder.

David Copperfield [Audible]

Between his work on the 2014 Audible Audiobook of the Year, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel, and his performance of Classic Love Poems, narrator Richard Armitage (The Hobbit, Hannibal) has quickly become a listener favorite. Now, in this defining performance of Charles Dickens' classic David Copperfield, Armitage lends his unique voice and interpretation, truly inhabiting each character and bringing real energy to the life of one of Dickens' most famous characters.

The Portrait of a Lady

When Isabel Archer, a beautiful, spirited American, is brought to Europe by her wealthy aunt Touchett, it is expected that she will soon marry. But Isabel, resolved to enjoy the freedom that her fortune has opened up and to determine her own fate, does not hesitate to turn down two eligible suitors. It is only when she finds herself irresistibly drawn to the cultivated but worthless Gilbert Osmond that she discovers that wealth is a two-edged sword and that there is a price to be paid for independence.

The Scarlet Pimpernel

The French Revolution is at the height of its fury. Daily, hundreds of aristocratic heads fall from the guillotine. Emotions run high, and anyone suspected of sympathy toward the nobility is in mortal danger. Only one man is daring enough to lead a small band against popular opinion - the Scarlet Pimpernel. Using masterful disguises and clever strategies, the Scarlet Pimpernel smuggles noblemen and women from France to safety in England. His success is a thorn in the side of the Revolution. As he vanishes from each escapade, he leaves no trace behind except an image of the colorful flower that is his emblem.

Ethan Frome

There may never have been a novel written about love and loss with more irony of poetry than Ethan Frome. Written almost exclusively in flashback, Ethan Frome has continued to draw attention and accolades since its publication in 1911 by famed writer Edith Wharton. When we are introduced to the novel's protagonist, we discover that he is married yet inconveniently in love with his wife's cousin, who is spending time with the family to help care for Ethan's sick wife.

A Room with a View

Lucy Honeychurch and her older cousin, Miss Bartlett, tour Italy in the springtime. However, the pension they are staying at may as well be in London. The proprietress speaks a London cockney, the meat is overdone, and their windows give them a view of dirty alleys. However, when the socially clumsy Mr. Emerson offer to exchange rooms, this does anything but remedy the situation. You see, nobody knows what to make of the Emersons. It's so hard to know how to respond to people who speak the truth.

Vanity Fair [AudioGo]

Set during the time of the Napoleonic Wars, this classic gives a satirical picture of a worldly society. The novel revolves around the exploits of the impoverished but beautiful and devious Becky Sharp.

The Way We Live Now

In this world of bribes, vendettas and swindling, in which heiresses are gambled and won, Trollope's characters embody all the vices: Lady Carbury is 'false from head to foot'; her son Felix has 'the instincts of a horse, not approaching the higher sympathies of a dog'; and Melmotte - the colossal figure who dominates the book - is a 'horrid, big, rich scoundrel... a bloated swindler... a vile city ruffian'.

A Tale of Two Cities [Tantor]

A Tale of Two Cities is one of Charles Dickens's most exciting novels. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, it tells the story of a family threatened by the terrible events of the past. Doctor Manette was wrongly imprisoned in the Bastille for 18 years without trial by the aristocratic authorities.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Uncle Tom's Cabin opens with a Kentucky farmer named Arthur Shelby facing the loss of his farm because of debts. Even though he and his wife, Emily Shelby, believe that they have a benevolent relationship with their slaves, Shelby decides to raise the needed funds by selling two of them - Uncle Tom, a middle-aged man with a wife and children, and Harry, the son of Emily Shelby's maid Eliza - to a slave trader.

The novel portrays the New York upper middle class society in the late 19th century. Wharton writes elegantly, and is an acute psychologist and observer of manners. She's also very witty at times--with what you might call a stiletto wit. The reading is excellent, with subtle difference of voice and accent nicely calibrated to the character speaking. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the book. But it made me wonder why writers like Wharton and Henry James devote themselves to writing about people who don't do anything--a class of idlers, in fact, who are terrified that they might have to work for a living. Perhaps they think that this idleness produces greater subjective sensitivity and depth. But I think their long descriptions and analyses of people's inner depths are rather more refined and sophisticated than is justified by reality. OccasionalIy found myself saying: Bring on a pirate! Let's have a murder! Or at least have someone kicked by a horse.

Absolutely. This is one of the greatest novels by one of our greatest novelists. If you love beautiful writing and a great story, this is for you. Also: The narration by Eleonor Bron, the great, under-appreciated English actress who appeared in the film version of The House of Mirth (as well as the Beatles' movie Help!) is a work of art in itself.

What did you like best about this story?

The way social drama/comedy transforms into something much more profound.

Which scene was your favorite?

Impossible to choose.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, too long. A book to savor.

Any additional comments?

I had not expected this to be as good as Wharton's The Age of Innocence. I was wrong.

This novel is both a satire of New York society at the turn of the century and a tragedy about one woman's downfall. Wharton's depiction of wealthy society types is scathing. She combines the psychological insight of James and the epigrammatic wit of Wilde. In many ways, it is a shocking as it must have been when first published.

I sampled many versions and chose Eleanor Bron's reading for the quality of her voice. She gives a stunning reading, full of tenderness and pathos and the right bite when called for. Highest recommendation.

Because it's so timely in that it's the story of a downward spiral as one watches the life they took for granted slipping away before their very eyes, only to be replaced by an ever more diminished view of the future, and so it parallels what's going on in the U.S. today as we adjust to a disappearing middle class, possibly forever, unless we act to preserve it.

What did you like best about this story?

In addition to its renewed resonance mentioned above (I've read the book in the past but it never resonated then the way it does now) I was very impressed with Wharton's writing, empathy, and understanding of what circumstances must be like for someone that she, being relatively affluent, never had to face or experienced herself. The ending chapters were brilliantly thought out and written, and yet she imagined the scenarios with great empathy. They were nothing she was able to call upon from her own life experience, and yet the depth of what she writes about, and how expertly she writes it, forces the reader to absolutely connect with the experience of the heroine.

What about Eleanor Bron’s performance did you like?

Top-notch. She's a great talent as an actress and always has been, even when playing an annoying American in the classic Audrey Hepburn/Albert Finney film Two for the Road, which is the first time she came to my attention decades ago.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The ending was very emotional as I listened to it anew with a completely different perspective now given the times we currently live in. I can't say more without giving away the ending, so I'll simply say I thought it was masterful and genuinely touching and heartfelt, but beyond that it's sticking with me. How differently things might have been if just one thing had been changed along the way time after time.

I was also glad to read this again after watching the Gillian Anderson film version because there's a very important difference in terms of intent at the very end that's better in the writing than it was in the film.

Any additional comments?

Though not a book filled with religious themes or much about religion at all, the title comes from Ecclesiastes 7:4 and one can keep this in mind while reading the book and see if they agree. Ecclesiastes 7:4 reads:

"The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth."

I also felt this was interesting and something to keep in mind while reading:

"New York at the turn of the century was a time of opulence and frivolity for those who could afford it. But for those who couldn't and yet wanted desperately to keep up with the whirlwind, like Wharton's charming Lily Bart, it was something else altogether: a gilded cage rather than the Gilded Age."

"...The House of Mirth remains so timely and so vital in spite of its crushing end and its unflattering portrait of what life offers up."

This book is amazingly well written. There were so many beautiful turns of phrase and amazing metaphors and insights (comparing the wrinkled finery left on the floor after undressing to the unappealing leftovers of a banquet, allusions to the manacle-like nature of women's jewelry, chaining them to a life they may not have chosen). Edith Wharton truly is one of the great writers of the 20th century. I was a Literature major in college and I'm sad I never had a chance to study her works there. The narration was very good, the speaker had a pleasant voice.

The House of Mirth is my favorite Edith Wharton novel. I read and was enraptured by the book years ago, and I later became a fan of the 2000 film version. I don't see the point of retelling the plot in this kind of review. For those who are interested, I recommend reading (and especially listening to) the book before seeing the movie. I believe the film is generally successful with wonderful visuals, an inspired choice of casting and overall tone that captures the spirit and sensibilities of the novel. But listening to The House of Mirth was a much finer and fulfilling experience. This is a masterful performance by a narrator whose voice is modulate and appropriately cultured to convey the charms and treacheries of high society life in turn-of-the-century New York. Of course, it is a beautifully written book, with elegantly composed passages that stir and swell the story. I was absorbed in the curious turns and vanities of the heroine, Lily Bart, and while I never "like" her, I could not help but worry and wish for a better outcome for her. A great part of my enjoyment of this and other Wharton novels is the era of splendor that shape the stories. I have a fascination for 19th and early 20th century life in America, and I read a lot of non-fiction and historical works about the Gilded Age. Tycoons, industrialists, suffragettes, heiresses, artists, writers, presidents, dynastic families, immigrants, movers and shakers - they are captivating characters who made the era a conglomeration of progress and intended and unintended debasements. The House of Mirth is an exquisite sampling of upper crust society told through the fictional travails of a woman trying to hold her place among the haughty. It is a harrowing quest for a woman with no husband and no money of her own. Ms. Wharton is unsparing in her depiction of Miss Bart as a futilely aimed person. She reigns and falls in a web of characters who do not seek or have redeeming qualities. There are no great heroes, but they are great fun.

Edith Wharton is a surgeon cutting apart and exposing the true insides of the best in society. Her exquisitely drawn descriptions of even minor characters are the reason to read the book -- you might know someone just like them even in today's "modern" times. That said a major draw back for me was the mean use of stereotypical Jew, which shines a light not so pleasant on Ms. Wharton herself.

Having now read Ethan Frome and Age of Innocence and listened to The House of Mirth, I can say that Edith Wharton is an unsympathetic author. She expects her characters and readers to look at the world through an objective lens. She places her characters into situations that have extreme consequences, and part of her program, so it seems, is to see how people will respond when tempted. What seems a small decision lingers throughout the narrative, especially for Lilly Bart, whose life descends into degradation as she is forced to compromise who she is for the sake of money. Simple decisions exact a terrible toll on her, and in the end, she succumbs to the hardships of her existence. If you enjoy happy endings or you feel too much for characters, then Edith Wharton might not be the author for your tastes. If you, on the other hand, expect a text to point to larger truths of how society functions--here late 19th/early 20th century--then her books are a fine source of how so much of life depends on the external forces of other people.

A beautifully written novel, expertly read by Eleanor Bron. It tells the story of 29 year old Lily Bart, a dazzling socialite in 1890's New York. The big problem for Lily is money, the fact that she has none and the life style she desires needs plenty.The novel follows her fall into poverty and the response of her friends and acquaintances. A fascinating look at late 19 Century American society
A delight to listen to.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Philip

Tonbridge, United Kingdom

6/26/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"Beautifully done."

The worst of this was that the 'blurb' on Audible gives away the plot- I knew how Lily ended up before Eleanor Bron even opened her mouth.

Apart from that it was absolutely superb- as one expects from this publisher.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Elizabeth Davies

6/15/09

Overall

"Quite interesting"

At times I found this "hard work". It is well written and had good characterisation and the story is interesting but it is quite "plodding." Glad I have finished it.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

N. Bowring

Sussex

5/14/09

Overall

"Unforgettable"

Beautifully and sympathetically read by Eleanor Bron, this book is an expert example of vanitas - the futility and emptiness of worldly wealth - and will linger long in my mind. Edith Wharton's intelligent portrayal of the loneliness and waste of a beautiful young woman's life, discarded by the society who had once feted her, is profound in the extreme.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

mme

longjumeau, France

4/7/13

Overall

"Wonderful listening"

Having read and listened to the book The House of Mirth, I can recommend this title for anyone who appreciates the beauty of Edith Wharton's prose. Nothing is lost and the characterisation and accent are totally in keeping with the time period of the story. This book is a classic example of Wharton's style, dramatic irony, telling the tale of Lily Bart, beautiful, witty and sophisticated, who dares to claim the privileges of marriage without assuming the responisbilities. This will lead to her downfall. The book is long but the words are carefully chosen and the change of settings and situations keep the listener totally absorbed.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Julie

Sydney, Australia

10/15/10

Overall

"Wonderful Wharton, Beautifully Read"

This is a favourite book of mine, a modern classic and Eleanor Bron reads it beautifully. Poor stunning Lily Bart. This is such a complex, moving portrait of a beauty, a fine spirit and the fashionable and established society she lives in, raising questions about integrity, worth, status etc in a complulsive story.

If you enjoy it, do listen to The Age of Innocence too, it may be even better.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Cynthia

4/5/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Absolute Perfection"

Exceeded my expectations. Classic Wharton with perfect narration by Eleanor Bron. I was unable to stop listening, which for me is rare.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Karen

Oxfordshire

11/27/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Beautiful and sad"

Would you consider the audio edition of The House of Mirth to be better than the print version?

Yes. I read this book many years ago as I love the writing of Edith Wharton, an intelligent and perceptive author, but I particularly loved this book so was happy for Eleanor Bron to read it to me again and I picked up on things I feel I missed when I read it all that time ago.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The House of Mirth?

When Lawrence Seldon offers Lily a different life than the one she is currently pursuing. I felt this was the turning point in the book.

What about Eleanor Bron’s performance did you like?

Her voice is beautifully modulated throughout with a soft American accent that felt right and never jarring.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes, it made me feel angry by the unkindness and jealousy of women towards other women and the hypocrisy of the wealthy society that existed at that time. However, how people are so ready to believe the worst of others without being in a position to judge still goes on today.

Any additional comments?

Because of the way Lily Bart was raised, she knew herself to be a beautiful woman and used that beauty to pursue marriage to a wealthy man, but riches were not enough to replace love. Pride can sometimes preclude us from taking the proper path.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Jane @The Owl Pen

Warwickshire

5/23/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"Not a bundle of laughs"

Although the title may be deceptive (the central character, Lily Bart, comes to a tragic end), this is a beautifully written book, superbly interpreted by the reader, Eleanor Bron. Edith Wharton is an easier to read version of Henry James, and depicts brilliantly the vanity and hypocrisy of American society at the beginning of the 20th century. Well worth listening to.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Patricia

Kendal, United Kingdom

6/27/12

Overall

"Highly Recommended"

I came to this book late - following a quiz I thought I'd already read it but had confused it with a Henry James novel. Don't delay! Beautifully read, as well as written. And tragic - it's too easy today to dismiss the significance of moral standards of past ages. How lucky we are today.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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